KATHMANDU; The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has provided emergency aid to more than 400 Bhutanese refugees who turned homeless after an inferno at Beldangi refugee camp in eastern Nepal.

UNHCR in a press statement stated that the fire that broke out at 9:45 pm on Wednesday night destroyed 28 traditional thatched huts. To stop the fire from spreading, 31 huts were dismantled and another 13 huts were partially damaged. The preliminary investigation found that the fire spread from an inflamed hut. However, Armed Police Force personnel doused the fire within an hour. Two fire engines from Itahari and Birtamod had reached the refugee camp.

The statement further mentioned that Nepal's government, UNHCR itself, its partner NGOs and World Food Programme jointly availed the emergency assistance. They distributed plastic sheets, blankets, mosquito nets, soaps, cooking kits and bamboos to rebuild the huts. The statement mentioned that around 39,000 US dollars would be spent for emergency relief and reconstruction.

"It is unfortunate that every year hundreds of refugees turn homeless due to fire in these camps during the dry season," said Rianawati, head of UNHCR, Damak sub-office. The press statement also lauded the quick response from the government, security forces, aid agencies.